Peter Brock anniversary a sad reminder not to delay estate planning

The 10 year anniversary of the sudden death of Australian motor racing legend Peter Brock is a poignant reminder of the legal wrangles which can be left to the beneficiaries of an estate when a person dies without completing a will which properly sets out their wishes. Following Brock's death in September 2006, it emerged that he had signed a DIY will kit but had not completed the required detail, creating a legal battle between his estranged spouse Beverley, and his partner Julie Bamford. According to the NSW Trustee, up to 50% of Australians do not have a valid will.

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She also admitted the legal wrangle over his estate only happened because Brock had signed and dated a do-it-yourself will kit months earlier but didn’t fill out any other detail. “It doesn’t matter how large we are in life, at anytime something could happen and the vast majority of people don’t want to deal with their own mortality,’’ Ms Brock said. “So I have learned that people need to take care of detail and make sure they have their affairs in order because life changes. You never know what’s around the corner.’’